When the Ovens Go Cold

When the Ovens Go Cold

a report by the Southeast Coke Plant Re-Use Project Group

Professor Maher and his students will present the results of their study of the Indianapolis Coke plant shutdown and site re-use at the Wheeler Arts Community Theater, 1035 E. Sanders.
April 13, 2009 at 7:00 PM

A link to their full report is available on the Southeast Organizer Blog link section

For more information contact Tim Maher at tmaher@uindy.edu

City's 1st Green Roof Project

City's 1st Green Roof Project

Mayor Greg Ballard will announce plans Friday, Oct. 17, 2008, at noon, for the first green roof ever to be constructed on a city-owned building.

WHAT:
Press conference to announce plans to build a green roof on a wastewater storage and treatment facility

WHEN:
Friday, Oct. 17, 2008
12:15 PM

WHERE:
Keep Indianapolis Beautiful Headquarters, 1029 Fletcher Ave.

As part of a project designed to reduce and treat raw sewage overflows into the White River, the Indianapolis Department of Public Works (DPW) will install a green roof on a new portion of a wastewater storage and treatment facility on the north side of Indianapolis.

Green roofs are vegetated roof systems used in place of conventional roofs. The benefits of green roofs are far-reaching; they help capture stormwater run-off that otherwise would enter the city's overburdened combined sewer and drainage systems. Stormwater that is not captured is filtered through the vegetation as it comes off the roofs, which helps reduce the amount of pollution that ends up in waterways. Green roofs also help capture air pollution and carbon dioxide, reduce outdoor air temperatures and the "urban heat island" effect, and insulate buildings, which saves energy.

Mayor Ballard and DPW representatives will discuss these and other benefits of green roofs, describe plans for the first city-built green roof and encourage incorporating green roofs into residential and commercial development.

Green roofs are just one step the city is taking to incorporate natural and sustainable stormwater management practices to help improve the environment throughout Marion County. Other plans for "greening" Indianapolis' infrastructure include planting trees, rain gardens and bio-swales, and installing porous pavement. These techniques significantly reduce costs for taxpayers, while protecting and improving the environment.

Mayor is Visiting a Fab for Less House

Mayor's coming to New Jersey Street

Thursday July 31
*Eco-Friendly Home Tour
The home is a pilot project to set environmental guidelines for future affordable housing projects in the City.
1411 S. New Jersey St.
11:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

'The Story of Stuff' with Greg Buck

"The Story of Stuff"
presentation and discussion
Wheeler Art Center, 1035 Sanders Street, Room 116
Wednesday July 9, 2008 at 6 pm

Location: Wheeler Art Center, 1035 Sanders Street, Room 116, Fountain Square, Indianapolis . This location is west of Shelby Street and Bud's Grocery, and south of Prospect Street, Morris Street and the police station. Enter at the south entrance.

"The Story of Stuff' is a video that engagingly and concisely covers in 20 minutes, largely with animation, environmental, psychological and social impacts of our consumption oriented society. Discussion will be lead by Greg Buck. We might go to Deano's Vino or another venue after our gathering.

Supporters are the Marion County Green Party, Campaign for Sustainable Economics, The Black and Latino Institute, and Simple Living Group of Indianapolis .

For more information contact Greg Buck at 317-917-1638 or ecothink@yahoo.com

***

Environmental Issues

Faith in Action
faith communities working on environmental issues

Indiana Report Out at

Unitarian Universalist Church of Indianapolis
615 W 43rd St
June 19, 2008
2:30-3:30 PM

Next week the Sierra Club will release a report about faith communities working on environmental issues called Faith in Action. It features the environmental activities of one congregation in each state. Indiana is represented by St. Luke's UMC.

However, I would like to show that there are a lot of congregations working to improve the environment in the Indianapolis area, I would like to get as many representatives from other congregations in the area as possible to talk briefly about what they are doing to help the environment (with visuals if possible). Please let me know if you or someone from your congregation would like to attend.

Bowden Quinn
Conservation Program Coordinator
Sierra Club Hoosier Chapter
317-822-3750

***

Cultural Trail

Virginia Avenue

Cultural Trail Walk & Talk!

Bring your Fountain Square and Fletcher Place friends and neighbors and meet us in front of the Anthem headquarters on Virginia Avenue, just south of the Conseco parking garage. We'll walk the entire length of the SE leg, to Fountain Square, taking pictures and notes, and sharing ideas along the way. Bring your cameras and notepads! After all that hard work, join us for a glass of wine or red wine, and relax over a tasty dinner at Deano's Vinos, one of Fountain Square's most popular restaurants.

Best of all, Gail Swanstrom from the Trail will share some very exciting news with everyone in attendance! We promise you will be pleased to hear this news.

Join us on Wednesday, June 18, at 6 p.m. at Anthem.

We hope you will join us! Bill Lovejoy

***

Volunteer Opportunity

Community Clean Up

On May 31st Keep Indianapolis Beautiful and Indy Parks will combine efforts to host a community clean up.

For more information:
Contact David Forsell, 223-5183, dforsell@kibi.org
visit www.kibi.org

My Tree & Me Coupon

Use this coupon to get

$20 OFF

the tree of your choice

> Download It Now! <

Save some money, plant a tree,
and have some fun!

Don't forget to join us for our Arbor Day Celebration
on the Circle today, April 25 from noon to one!

Visit www.MyTreeAndMe.org

***

Update on Stacy Park Cleanup

"Friends of Historic Fountain Square"
has joined forces with FACT, becoming

"Friends & FACT"


They will be working on the 10th Annual Stacy Park cleanup and flower planting on
Saturday, May 10^th from 8:30 a.m. to noon.

***

Keep Indianapolis Beautiful

My Tree and Me

Keep Indianapolis Beautiful Partners with 32 Area Retailers to Give All Indy Area Residents $20 Off of the Purchase of a Tree

The “My Tree and Me” campaign kicks off on Arbor Day with a massive coupon distribution

Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Inc. (KIB) knows what friends we have in trees. That is why KIB has partnered with 32 area tree retailers to launch the “My Tree and Me” campaign, an innovative coupon campaign designed to promote and encourage residential tree planting in Indianapolis.

The campaign, which touts trees as “friends,” kicks off on Arbor Day, April 25th, and features a $20 coupon that can be used towards the purchase of a tree at participating tree retailers. Consumers must buy a tree of 1” caliper or larger and must have a Central Indiana address where the tree will be planted. There is no limit to the number of trees homeowners can purchase, but there must be a coupon presented for each tree purchased. Coupons and a complete list of retailers can be downloaded at www.mytreeandme.org. Hard copies of the coupon will be distributed this Friday at the Indy Free Tree giveaway at noon on Monument Circle, and also, on Saturday at the Earth Day festival downtown. To join this effort, go to www.mytreeandme.org for a digital version of the coupon that can be sent via email.

The “My Tree and Me” campaign is the next phase of the ongoing “NeighborWoods” initiative to increase tree canopy by planting 100,000 large trees in Indianapolis by 2017. More than 6,000 trees have already been planted by Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Inc. and the City of Indianapolis in public places, parks, and neighborhoods since the program’s inception in 2007.

Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Inc. is a nonprofit organization dedicated to uniting people to beautify the city, improve the environment, and foster community pride.

For more information:
Contact David Forsell, 223-5183, dforsell@kibi.org
visit www.kibi.org
***

Great Indianapolis Cleanup

KIB Press Conference Information

Who: Mayor Greg Ballard, Deputy Mayor Olgen Williams, KIB Representative, Neighborhood Association Representatives

What: Great Indianapolis Cleanup/KIB summer projects

When: Tuesday, April 22 @ 12:30 p.m.

Where: Southeast intersection of State Street and Fletcher

Notes:

• The Mayor will discuss the importance of participation in the Great Indianapolis Cleanup and the partnership between the city and KIB as well as the need for people to volunteer throughout the year in such programs through their Neighborhood Associations, etc.
• KIB Representative will speak about their summer projects, etc. and ways citizens can get involved.
• The floor will be open for a few questions from the media present

***

Quality of Life Plan

The GINI Quality of Life Plan for the Southeast has been Released

Make sure your copy of the plan is always available and easy to find: go to

www.greatindyneighborhoods.org

and click on Southeast Neighborhood to download a copy to your computer.

***

Assessment of walking surfaces in FS

Senior Walkability Assessment

of Fountain Square

Circle May 8^th on your calendar and join your neighbors in a senior walkability assessment of Fountain Square!

We’ll meet at the Senior Center at 9 AM for a short briefing, coffee, and gather our materials and then spend about an hour on selected streets to evaluate how well they are providing good walking surfaces and safe byways for everyone, and especially seniors in Fountain Square.

When you return to the Senior Center you’ll get de-briefed and eat lunch. We hope to use your information to advocate for needed changes with the city. Together we CAN make a difference!

Interested in joining this effort? Sign up by contacting Irene Wegner at iwegner@aarp.org or 423-7107. THANK YOU!

***

Community Awareness

Watch us Improve our Community
***

April 5 was a great community awareness day. Check out photos taken during the events on the Churchman Ave cleanup, the Fountain Square Tree Planting, and the next section of the Pleasant Run cleanup:

www.sendcdc.org/volunteerphotos.html

***

Affordable Housing

Affordable Housing Conference
June 9, 2008
Marriott Indianapolis Downtown

This one day conference brings together developers, architects, affordable housing advocates, energy conservationists and others to hear from industry leading experts about the benefits of sustainable greenbuilding. Three tracks of speakers will cover a wide variety of topics including case studies, innovative techniques, financing opportunities, and more.

The keynote speaker for this year is Ellen Sahli,the Commissioner of the City of Chicago’s Department of Housing. In addition to her duties as Commissioner, Ms. Sahli oversees the implementation of green building guidelines into affordable housing programs. She will discuss the innovative projects and initiatives the city is currently involved with to promote green building practices.

Registration is now open.
Visit www.iaced.org

***

Environmental Protection

SE District residents with concerns have been invited to observe

The Environmental Justice Collaborative

of Martindale Brightwood

is sponsoring their

1st Mini-Environmental Conference

Voice to Action

***

The Martindale Brightwood Environmental Justice Collaborative (MBEJC) serves as a champion and advocate for the residents of Martindale-Brightwood against environmental hazards and injustices that have impact on the health and well-being of their community. MBEJC has created their first mini conference designating two days of teaching and educating the residents regarding hazards that surround and afflict the community.

***

Saturday, April 19, 2008

Saturday, April 26, 2008

9:30 AM to 12:00 PM

Scott United Methodist Church

2153 Dr. Andrew J. Brown

Indianapolis, IN 46202

Volunteer Opportunity

ATTENTION: CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS!!

PLEASANT RUN CLEANUP

***

Come join friends and neighbors of the Southeast side for a morning of satisfying work and fun as we help clean up the Pleasant Run Greenway. As part of the 20th annual White River Cleanup which takes place downtown, this year special crews and residents alike will be working to help keep one of our most valuable neighborhood resources clean. This is the first cleanup of the year and arguably the most important due to all of the trash that has accumulated over the winter months. Online pre-registration is required in order to ensure that we get enough T-shirts and lunches for our crew. If you are interested in pitching in, please follow the directions below.

1. Register online by March 31st at www.greenwaysfoundation.org or www.friendsofthewhiteriver.org

AND

2. Contact David Edmonds to signup for the Southeast cleanup crew

david@sendcdc.org or call 634-5079 x.28

Pleasant Run volunteers are asked to meet at the corner of Pleasant Run Parkway and Prospect St. at 8:30 AM on Saturday, April 5th. The cleanup will last until approximately 11:30, when free lunch will be provided. Please dress for outdoor work. Gloves, tools and trash bags will be provided. Also, feel free to pass this on. The more volunteers the better!!!

David J. Edmonds
Southeast Neighborhood Development
1030 Orange St.Indianapolis, IN 46203
david@sendcdc.org
phone: (317) 634-5079 ext.28

Volunteer Opportunity

SEND Volunteer Projects

Interested in volunteering for a SEND volunteer project or Southeast neighborhood association clean up day? Please visit http://www.sendcdc.org/volunteercalendar.html for information on volunteer opportunities in our area.

Community Enhancement Projects

Pleasant Run sub-committee

The next meeting is Tuesday the 18th at SEND headquarters at noon.

Cultural Trail meeting

The next brown bag lunch meeting is on March 25th at 12:00 and it is at the Fountain Square Library. It is important that we really show our interest in the trail and have a great turnout from the neighborhood.

White River Clean-up

The annual White River clean-up is on Saturday, April 5th and will have a crew sent over to the Pleasant Run trail to work on it. Come join in this fun event.

Infrastructure Presentation

The SPEA IUPUI students will give a presentation of their findings on the infrastructure survey at the SEND headquarters on Wednesday, April 23rd from 5 – 6 pm.

Indy Parks

Indy Parks outreach

The Parks and Recreation Comprehensive Plan and Greenways Master Plan will be presented at the White River Gardens Building (Hulman Riverhouse) at the Zoo on Thursday, March 13th from 6:30 – 8:00. We want to have a good showing so they know we are interested in trails and connections in our neighborhoods (such as connecting the Cultural Trail to the Pleasant Run Trail).